RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY PROFILE TOWNSVILLE & DRY TROPICS 2018 For decades, north Queensland has relied on electricity generated in the south-east of the state – but now the picture is starting to change. Three new solar farms have been switched on it to the rest of the state. If all proceed, they in the Townsville & Dry Tropics region1 this year, could generate more than 15% of Queensland’s and another 12 large power plants – driven current electricity needs. by the wind, sun and water – are planned or under construction. This renewable energy boom is already creating new jobs, supporting local businesses and These clean energy projects will be able to providing benefits for local communities. provide electricity for the local area and export As the sunniest city on Australia’s east coast, Townsville is poised to become Queensland’s renewable energy capital. The Townsville & Dry Tropics region is blessed with an years to come, north Queensland could even export abundance of solar, wind, hydro and biomass resources, electricity to neighbouring countries. which can be sustainably harnessed to generate The map at right provides a current snapshot of the affordable clean energy. region’s large-scale renewable energy industry. It shows The area has some of the best solar energy resources in known renewable energy projects that are already the world, and solar farms here generate 25-50% more operating, under construction or currently being electricity per unit than most other countries. This gives planned. We can expect to see many more projects like us a competitive advantage on the world stage, so in these proposed in the future. Townsville and the surrounding region is sitting on a gold mine of opportunities. Oliver Yates, founding CEO of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation2 LARGESCALE RENEWABLES solar farms more renewable already power stations 3 operating 12 planned or underway If they all proceed, these new renewable energy projects will deliver ELECTRICITY OBS INVESTMENT RELIEF FOR THE REEF .2 megawatt hours of electricity3. jobs during construction5. Climate pollution reductions of That’s enough to power 3 ongoing full-time jobs. megatonnes . million per year. of Qld’s 1.98 million homes4. That’s like taking .4 million of Qld’s 3.8 million cars o the road6. An estimated .4 billion investment. In Townsville & Dry Tropics ROOFTOP SOLAR That’s over 28% Each saves around $19m of homes have $720 NOT spent on rooftop solar. a year on electricity. power bills! TOWNSVILLE & DRY TROPICS RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER STATIONS Mount Surprise WIND Georgetown SOLAR Einasleigh Macknade HYDRO Ingham Forsayth BIOENERGY Rollingstone Greenvale TOWNSVILLE Kelso Stuart Giru Majors Creek Brandon Ayr Upper Haughton Home Hill Charters Towers Clare Seventy Mile Ravenswood Pentland Hughenden Torrens Creek Llanarth Tangorin Location Project Name Status Capacity (MW) Location Project Name Status Capacity (MW) Ayr Kalamia Sugar Mill Operating 9 Hughenden Hughenden Solar Farm Operating 20 Brandon Pioneer Sugar Mill Operating 69 Ingham Victoria Sugar Mill Operating 24 Clare Burdekin Solar Farm Approved 140 Kelso Ross River Solar Farm Construction 116 Clare Clare Solar Farm Operating 100 Macknade Macknade Sugar Mill Operating 8 Einasleigh Kidston Renewable Energy Hub Majors Creek Majors Creek Solar Farm Approved 200 Pumped Hydro Planning 250 Pentland Pentland Bioenergy Planning 16 Solar Stage 1 Operating 50 Project Solar Stage 2 Approved 270 Ravenswood Burdekin Hydro Planning 50 Wind Planning 150 Power Station Forsayth Forsayth Wind Farm Approved 75 Rollingstone Rollingstone Solar Farm Approved 110 Giru Invicta Sugar Mill Operating 50 Seventy Mile Mount Leyshon Planning 20 Pumped Hydro Home Hill Inkerman Sugar Mill Operating 13 Stuart Sun Metals Solar Operating 124 Home Hill Koberinga Solar Farm Approved 55 Upper Haughton Haughton Solar Farm Hughenden Kennedy Energy Park Stage 1 Construction 100 Solar Construction 15 Stage 2 Approved 400 Wind Stage 1 Construction 43 TOTAL CAPACITY (MW) 3427 Wind Stages 2 & 3 Planning 1200 Ellen Sacilotto was thrilled to get a final- year student placement at the Ross River Solar Farm, just outside Townsville. When she finishes her electrical engineering degree at James Cook University, Ellen hopes to have a long career in the renewable energy industry. “There is personal satisfaction in working with an energy source that is good for the community and the environment” she says. 24/7 ON-DEMAND CLEAN MAKE TOWNSVILLE THE POWER RENEWABLE ENERGY The largest “hybrid” renewable energy projects planned CAPITAL OF QUEENSLAND! for the Townsville Dry Tropics will be capable of Renewable energy is set to become an important part of providing electricity around the clock, even when “the Townsville’s regional economy. However, it’s uncertain sun don’t shine and the wind don’t blow”. how many of the development projects described here will go ahead. The Queensland Government has a target Kidston Renewable Energy Hub: this old gold mine north- of at least 50% renewable energy by 2030 but is yet to west of Townsville is being transformed into a pumped put forward a plan to reach that goal. Meanwhile our hydro power station powered by the wind and sun, that Federal politicians are still debating the nation’s future will be able to provide electricity whenever it’s needed. energy policy. The decisions our leaders make over the Kennedy Energy Park: With wind-turbines turning next months and years are vital for the future of the at night and a solar farm working all day, plus a big- renewable energy industry in north Queensland. battery to store excess power, the owners of Kennedy To find out more about Solar Citizens campaigns to Energy Park plan to deliver round-the-clock electricity support renewable energy visit solarcitizens.org.au for homes and businesses from Julia Creek to Charters Towers. Solar thermal for north Queensland? Investigations are underway to find the best site for a possible solar thermal plant in north Queensland. Solar thermal technology collects and stores heat from the sun and uses it to run steam turbines 24/7. Photography by Rosana Kersh. Cover photo: Electricians at work on the Ross River solar farm. Unless otherwise specified, all figures in this leaflet are from the reportRenewable energy across Queensland’s regions by Green Energy Markets industry analyst Tristan Edis. The report can be downloaded at solarcitizens.org.au/qld_regions. Details current at June 2018. 1 The Townsville & Dry Tropics Region includes the local government areas of Townsville City Council; Hinchinbrook Shire; Burdekin Shire; Charters Towers Regional Council; Palm Island Shire; Etheridge Shire; and Flinders Shire. 2 Interview on the Renew Economy podcast, 26 May 2017. 3 Excludes solar and biomass plants that are already operational. 4 Australian Bureau Statistics 2016 Census. 5 Employment during construction is estimated at 8,176 job years, where 1 job year = 1 person working full time for one year. 6 Estimated using US Government EPA greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator. Total cars in Qld - Dept of Transport & Main Roads 2017. Solar Citizens is an independent community organisation working to protect and grow solar and other forms of renewable energy in Australia. We advocate for the rights of more than five million solar owners and the millions more who wish to go solar. Visit solarcitizens.org.au.